House Speaker Thrusts Chet Edwards Into Vice Presidential Discussion

(Released June 24)

     WASHINGTON — Rep. Chet Edwards became the latest entry into the "veepstakes" Tuesday after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi suggested that presumed Democratic nominee Barack Obama consider him for vice president.

        Pelosi told a Newsweek reporter in a video interview that Obama should include someone from the House, and Edwards was the only member that she mentioned by name.

        Edwards "is a person that many of us think would be a good person to be in the mix," Pelosi said.

        On his way to the House floor for a vote Tuesday, Edwards, 56, said, "If at some point the Obama campaign considers me, I can't imagine many Americans who wouldn't consider it a deep privilege to serve our country as vice president. But at this point, I would not want to speculate as to who's on the list."

        The prominent mentioning of Edwards was striking, since it came from the far more liberal House speaker, who is an adamant opponent of the Iraq war. Edwards voted to authorize the war.

        Also, Edwards has largely worked out of the national spotlight during a congressional career that has focused on defense and veterans' issues, balanced budgets and the separation of church and state. 

     Pelosi's office declined to expand on her vice presidential advice, which came during an event at the Newseum, just a few blocks from the U.S. Capitol.

        Edwards could burnish Obama's national-security credentials. He chairs the subcommittee that doles out federal dollars for veterans' facilities and military construction, and for more than a decade he represented Fort Hood, the country's largest Army installation. He steered tens of millions of dollars back to the base, where he became something of a folk hero and established a strong connection with high-ranking Army officials.

  He is also something of a political survivor, having hung on to his Waco-based district even after Republican state legislators dramatically redrew it before the 2004 election. The district is also home to President Bush's Crawford ranch.

 "I believe that Chet would be an outstanding choice," said Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, who led the opposition to the Iraq war resolution in the House in 2002. "As a budget hawk and one of the best friends that our veterans and working families have, he has consistently won over people of divergent views in one of the most Republican districts in America."

        Edwards brushed off the talk of a national ticket.

        "I am a happy husband, father and member of Congress," the congressman said. "So I'm going to continue my life as usual."

         Life at the Capitol was not quite as usual, however, as reporters stalked Edwards for a reaction and fellow Democrats provided commentary and a little ribbing.

        "I think he could be an extraordinary president," said Rep. Nita Lowey of New York as a packed elevator took Edwards and his colleagues toward the House chamber.

        Rep. James Moran of Virginia introduced his son to Edwards, who stressed that nothing has changed for him: "My wife said this morning I still have to take our the garbage and clean the dishes."

        Moran answered: "That's a good thing because we're trying to show the genuineness of the Democratic candidates—that they're real people."

        Lowey injected, "How old are your kids?"

        When Edwards said they are 10 and 12, she advised, "They can take out the garbage."

        To that, Edwards quipped, "I'll give you my phone number. Would you call them and tell they should take out the garbage?"

        On a more serious note, Moran called Edwards "as fine a vice presidential complement to that ticket as you can find."

        "There's no one who's a stronger supporter of veterans and the military," Moran said of Edwards, who is chairman of the House Appropriations subcommittee on military construction and veterans affairs.

        Asked if that would be enough foreign policy experience to be Obama's vice president, Moran fired back, "Well, he knows the difference between a Shi'a and a Sunni" Muslim — a reference to misstatements made earlier by presumed Republican presidential nominee John McCain.

Under Texas law, Edwards could run for re-election to the House and vice president at the same time. Were Obama to win, however, Democrats could have a tough time holding his seat in a conservative area.

 "I think we could hold that district," said Jason Stanford, a Democratic consultant in Austin. "It would just cost us a ton of money."